The Royal Guard
by LukeSkywalkerJM
Summary: A mysterious Royal Guard hs come to destroy Luke...and his family. Co wrote in Yahoo Clubs! PLEASE REVIEW!!! Luke loves ya!


Star Wars: The Royal Guardsman  
written by agentmaul002/lukeskywalker  
  
The glow of the gas planet of Yavin slowly desends on the dusk sky on   
the Jedi moon. Luke stares intently into the blue sky. R2-D2, restless   
after hours of scanning the skies, beeps loudly at his master, hoping   
that the Jedi would wake up from his deep trance.  
  
"There's something wrong, R2," he whispers. He turns to the fiesty   
droid. "There's a disturbance in the Force. Come on, let's get Mara."  
  
The droid and his master walk toward the Jedi Temple.  
  
------------  
Mara jumps from her seat on the bed. She greets her husband with a   
loving embrace.  
  
"You felt it too?" She asked more of a statement then a question. Luke   
nodded. Mara noticed he looked awfully worried and tried to comfort   
him. She rubbed his back soothingly but still his worry didn't wane.  
  
Mara kissed the Jedi on the mouth and still he seemed to stare into   
space as if haunted.  
  
"Luke, please... talk to me," she said.  
  
Mara then noticed Luke had lost consiousness.  
  
------------  
Luke found himself in a dark hallway. In the distance stood a dark   
figure. He couldn't tell who or even what it was, but the figure held great   
power in the Force.  
  
"What do you want?" Luke cried out. No response.  
  
Luke went to grab his comm-link, only to find it not there. His black   
robes he wore a few hours ago were now common robes, like those he had   
seen the Jedi Spirit wear (his father, Yoda, and Obi-Wan). He carried   
with him a blaster and lightsaber. Why would he have weapons with him,   
but his cloths change?  
  
He thought back to the training in Dagobah. The failure at the cave.   
Was this a test? A vision of the future? The past?  
  
Luke removed his blaster and lightsaber. Then he proceeded to move   
closer to the dark figure.  
  
Then a voice... "Who are you?" Father? Or someone else?  
  
"I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master. Tell me, who are you?"  
  
"Ah," the voice replied. "Be mindful of what you do, son. What will   
come will cost you dearly if you are wrong."  
  
And before Luke could reply, a sudden burst of pain exploded across   
Luke's body. Luke cried out in agony. And the next thing he knew, he was   
staring into his wife's green eyes.  
  
"Mara?..."   
------------  
  
Mara didn't even notice as she screamed wit relief and kissed him hard   
with excitment and joy that he was awake.  
  
"Are you okay? What happened? Do you know what the disturbance is?"   
Mara bombarded Luke with questions.  
  
"I don't have an answer to your questions, Mara," Luke said tryin to   
lift himself.  
  
Luke realized he couldn't move. More pain gripped him and he began to   
convulse. His body shook and bounced uncontrolably and Luke screamed in   
excrushiating pain. Mara held him under her arems but was knocked off   
against the stone wall of their quarters and slumped down unconsious.  
  
------------  
Moments later Mara awoke a little dizzy from her encounter with the   
wall. She focused her vison toward her husband. He's stopped convulsing   
and was quiet. Too quiet.  
  
"Luke," she called, voice shaking. "Luke." No answer.  
  
Mara rose and walked cautiously toward the Jedi Master. Something was   
wrong. She couldn't feel his presense in the Force. Mara reached him   
and sat on the edge of the bed, fearing the worst. She placed her hand on   
his neck. No pulse. She shook him violently.  
  
"Damnit Skywalker, wake up!" she screamed crying.  
  
"Help someone, Help! Please somebody!"  
  
Her attention was changed to laughter behind her. She turned. The   
lights in the room went out, except for the opening of her door. Standing   
before her stands a dark robed figure, laughing. By instinct, Mara   
reaches out with the Force to grab her lightsaber... Anakin's old   
lightsaber. Instead, nothing happens. She tries to touch the Force to find it   
gone. The figure is countering her power with his own!  
  
A yellow, almost gold lightsaber blade peirced the dark. Through the   
light of thelightsaber, she saw that the person wears an Imperial Guard   
uniform! Mara quickly grabs her husband's lightsaber and activates it.  
  
"What did you do to Luke?" she yells in a burst of rage, hoping that   
someone will hear her cry.  
  
The figure, it's voice distorter masking even his identity says, "My   
battle is not with you. This is between me and Skywalker."  
  
Mara reached one hand behind her head. Blood. She tightens her jaw and   
utters "I am a Skywalker."  
  
Mara stands before her fallen husband. She thinks "Where are the other   
Jedi?" With her powers gone, she stands with just her skills as a   
warrior to face this deadly attacker.  
  
"The battle is already over, Jade. There is nothing that can stop the   
process now."   
  
Then she hears footsteps coming. Jacen arrives with 2 other Jedi,   
lightsabers in hand.  
  
"We'll see about that! Jacen get back!" Mara screamed as the Imperial   
Guard lunged at him.   
  
Jacen jumped back into the wall. Mara lunged at the guard and they   
fought. Jacen stood onto his feet and cleared his eyes of the stars he saw   
before him. He ran to his uncle, still appearing lifeless. The two   
other Jedi, Corran and Kam, joined him.  
  
"We need to get help!" the young Jedi screamed.  
  
He heard Mara scream. He turned and something hit him. Things went   
black.  
  
The Imperial Guard decended toward Luke's motionless form. He smiled to   
himself looking around at the Jedi that he'd defeated. Nothing would   
stop him in his task. He pulled up the blade of the saber and held it   
above Luke's chest.  
  
"The process is complete," he whispered and shoved the blade into Luke.  
  
--------------  
Mara awoke in the medical ward. She winced at the pain all over her   
body. Next to her is Jacen, also looking horrible, Corran who's on his   
feet and Kam also in on piece.  
  
"What happened?" she asked.  
  
Corran and Kam exchanged glances then looked back at Mara. Corran took   
her hand.  
  
"There was a fight," He said softly. "You've lost your baby, Mara."  
  
Mara's emerald eyes filled with tears. Suddenly she remembered the   
whole thing. Th guardsmen, the fight, the loss of her Force powers and   
Luke. she looked around her husband was no where in sight.  
  
"Where's Luke?" she asked the two Jedi.   
--------------  
  
He holds his head in agony, stumbling through the dark. The pain isn't   
physical, but more out of confusion and disorder. He cannot tell what   
is real and what is false.  
  
Luke has his visions come back in forth. He would appear before a dark   
figure one minute, Mara another minute, the dark coridoor the next, in   
the middle of the battle with an Royal Guard (holding a lightsaber?).   
Now he finds himself back in the black passageway, searching for the   
dark figure. During the flashes, the figure had disappeared from sight,   
but when Luke came to the area where he saw him last, he finds a dark   
cloak. "Is this mine or his?"  
  
"Troubled you look, mmmm?" The voice is too recognizable this time.   
Yoda.  
  
"Master Yoda, what's going on?" Luke cries, not knowing where to look.  
  
"Clouded the future is, Luke. Do not underestimate your foe." The   
spirit appears before Luke. "Learn the ways of the Living Force. Let it   
grow."  
  
Luke bends down to look at his former master at eye level. Yoda places   
his hand on Luke's chest. Luke finds great relief in an area that had   
no pain before. Yoda looks straight into his eyes. "Look around. Here   
answers you will find."  
  
By now, Luke finds that this is a vision, but suddenly reappears in a   
bacca tank. Faintly, he hears the medical droid say, "...unexplainable.   
The wound just healed itself." The droid looks at the readings and   
turns toward Luke. "He's well," B9-9R1 says in a bit of a surprise. R2   
beeps in encouragement. Through the liquid, Kam carries on his shoulders a   
deeply shaken Mara.  
  
His heart sank as he saw Mara crying onto Kam's shoulder. He'd never   
seen her so vulnerable. He wanted to be there next to her, but he had no   
idea what had happened to him or why he was here.  
  
"He's going to be alright, isn't he?" Mara asked wipping tears from her   
eyes.  
  
The medical droid's prone voice replied "Its hard to say, we must wait   
and see."  
  
Mara began to cry more, Kam held her trying to keep her quiet. Then he   
told her she needed to rest and he would take her to her room. She   
shoved him away. Kam moved back not wanting to feel her wraith.  
  
"I will not rest," she screeched. "I rested before and look what   
happened."  
  
"This is not your fault!" Kam said. "This is not anyone's fault."  
  
Mara collapsed in his arms. She was crying harder this time. Kam pulled   
her to her feet and took her to her room. She did not resist. Luke took   
comfort to see this before he had to close his eyes.  
  
-------------  
As the two walked through the temple cooridors to Mara's room, a figure   
came out of the shadows of a side cooridor. The Royal Guard stood   
before her. His lightsaber ignited and in fighting stance.   
  
"You interefered!" He cursed. "Prepare to die!"  
  
Mara and Kam drew their sabers and began to battle. Kam reached his   
hand to push Mara back, but she wasn't one to take such a challenge lying   
down. The battle became furious.  
  
Some of the Jedi had heard of Luke's injury and were walking through   
the hallway toward medical facility to check up. Soon, up to 5 other Jedi   
had joined the existing battle. By shear nuumbers the Jedi looked to   
win, but the Royal Guard seemed to have powers to counteract their Jedi   
abilities. Try as the Jedi could, they were simply outpowered by the   
guard, who moved with such grace and agility.  
  
The battle ranged on, despite the Jedi's loss of powers. The Jedi have   
learned the strength in loyalty and discipline, and it was evident in   
the way they fought.  
  
Lightsabers swinging, blocking, slicing. Despite his advantage, the   
Royal Guard began to grow weary. Grabbing inside his belt, the threw a gas   
detonator to the ground and began to run.  
  
"Dioxide!" Ench-Ohn cried. Everyone inhaled. 3 Jedi ran after the   
dasterly figure, led by Mara.  
-------------  
  
Kam, now in the lead, began to feel some of his powers returning,   
sidestepped just in time. A blast landed on the floor a few steps back.   
"That was aimed at my chest! You punk!" Kam yelled. Ench-Ohn returned fire   
with his blaster.  
  
The battle seemed like it lasted for hours, as it was lead out of the   
temple into the dense forest.  
  
"Now we're on neutral territory," the young Nein-Num stated. Kam   
replied, "Actually, he's been in control the whole time."  
  
The elder Ench-Ohn nodded. He reached for his belt and got out his   
comm-link. "Can someone get a ship out here to scan for him?"  
  
A reply came. "Don't worry. I'm already above you." The 4 Jedi look up.   
Ench-Ohn blasted into the air, but to no avail. An advanced tie fighter   
zoomed past the ground forces and headed off to space. Kam exhales.   
  
Mara looked up to where the ship had vanished. She sighed half out of   
impatience and half out of grief. She had no more answers then when this   
all began and now it was too personal. Not only had her husband been   
injured but she also lost her baby. Whoever this guardsman was, he would   
pay.  
  
She looked to the three Jedi at her side. "Kam, you come with me. You   
two stay and leave your comm-link on and let us know if there's   
trouble."  
  
Mara turned with a whip of red-gold hair and headed for the temple. Kam   
looked back at the other two Jedi.  
  
"I'm glad I'm not that guardsman," he teased.  
-------------  
  
When Kam finally found Mara, she was with Luke. He was sleeping   
peacefully and calmly, recooping from his ordeal with Mara's head pillowed on   
his chest. Just then the alarm sounded and Mara and Kam both fled to   
see what was happening. They came face to face with the guardsman.  
  
They both ignited their lightsabers and began another battle. After a   
short time they got the better of him. He hit the ground and the helmet   
rolled off his head.  
  
Luke emerged from his room just in time to see what the others had not.  
  
"You guys are not going to believe this!" he called looking at the now   
identified guardsman unconsious on the temple floor.  
  
Mara and Kam came over to where Luke stood. "It's a droid."  
  
Kam looked at his Master. "That would explain why we couldn't sense..."  
  
Luke bent down to look at the damage done to the droid. "Maybe. But if   
you think about it, how would a droid be able to block a Jedi's powers?   
Also, there wasn't much damage done to the droid. My conclusion would   
be that..."  
  
"...the droid was a decoy." Mara finished. "It did seem pretty easy   
when we battled him this time." The three Jedi looked up into the sunset   
sky, wondering of the future.  
---------  
  
"We're going to need some help," Luke said as he dressed for bed. Mara   
stopped brushing her hair and looked back at her husband. "Who would   
you find that could help us? Winter? Talon?"  
  
"Kir Kanos." Mara lifted an eyebrow. It was an interesting idea. Get   
one Imperial Guard to find another Inperial Guard. "He's got to have the   
answers." Luke smiled as he leaned over and tried to kiss his wife.   
She dodged his attempt.  
  
"Quit trying to use your charm on me. It hasn't improved much since I   
met you." Luke laughed. "I'm going to go contact Lando right now."   
Before she left the room, she turned. "And quit looking at my butt   
whenever I leave." The two laughed.  
----------  
  
"I really am sorry about your baby, Mara," Lando said. Times like this,   
Lando became one very sensitive guy. She wonders if that was a good   
thing.  
  
"Could you just get the info? We need to get Kanos now. It's been a   
rough few days."  
  
"Sorry." From the hologram, Mara sees her old partner disappear,   
probably talking to his cyborg Lobot. Dispite his appearance, Lando was one   
of the most well connected people out there. But time was an issue and   
she needed him to be at his best right now.  
-------  
  
Kanos arrived on Yavin 2 days later. The news he had heard about the   
Jedi and the attacker deeply disturbed him. As his ship landed, he was   
met by 10 Jedi, and by the looks of some of them, they were as troubled   
as he was.  
  
Mara and Luke walked up to their new guest.  
  
"Mara Jade. It definately been a long time."  
  
"Welcome to the academy, Kanos. You've met my husband before."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thank you for coming in such short notice. We need your help."  
----------  
  
"The Emperor was not a stupid man. He knew his life was in danger ever   
since he revealed himself to the Jedi. So along the way, he 'found'   
special individuals to protect him. One was your father, Darth Vader.   
Another was your wife. And then, there were the Imperial guard."  
  
"I heard a rumor that the guard were trained in the Force," Luke asked.  
  
"Partially. He trained all in the discipline of the Force. But only   
those that were powerful in the Force would he train. I was not one of   
those few." He paused and stood up to stretch. Luke and Kir stood on top   
of one of the ancient temples. "I'm no Jedi, but I assume you think it's   
one of those few."  
  
"Yes. I've begun to have visions that lead me to believe it has   
something to do with the past, possibly before the time of the rebellion."  
  
Kir nodded. "Then I suggest that we go to Coruscant to find some   
answers."  
  
"I can't leave the academy. Not now, with all that's going on," Luke   
protested. "He may come back, and the students can't handle it   
themselves. It wouldn't be fair."  
  
Kir glanced at the Jedi for a moment. He chose his words carefully.  
  
"So, what do we do then, if you know the answer?"  
  
"I never said I knew the answer, I don't know anything right now."  
  
Mara snorted at them. "So, Luke will stay!"  
  
Then she thought about it. She wasn't going to leave him here when he   
was in this condition. Before she could retract it, Kanos added to her   
thought.  
  
"Mara and I will go to Coruscant!"  
  
Luke nodded which stopped Mara's oncoming protest to leaving her   
husband. Luke got up to leave and she followed. When she entered the hallway,   
she saw Luke leaning against the wall for support.  
  
"It's not about the academy is it?"  
  
"How'd you guess?"  
  
"Your in no condition to travel anyway. You can barely keep it together   
here, let alone on a ship in lightspeed. Don't worry, I'll let you know   
as soon as we find anything." They kissed.  
  
---------  
Mara and Kir began to boared the ship Kir had brought. It was a piece   
of junk similar to the Falcon but in much better shape. She huffed at   
the thought of traveling with the former guard. Memories of him brought   
back memories of the past she wanted to leave behind. Memories of the   
dats with the Empire as the Emperor's Hand. Days when she wasn't happy.  
  
"Almost ready?" Kirs asked. The ship jumps to lightspeed. Kanos turns   
to Mara, who sits in the co-pilot's seat. "So exactly what are we going   
to do about this guy? After all, he was trained by the Emperor   
himself."  
  
Mara looks down and rubs her stomach, to where there was once life.   
"We'll do what's neccessary."  
-------------  
  
Luke watches from the Massachi Temple as the ship flew away. He sighs   
at turns to Jacen. "Go take another Jedi with you and go to Coruscant.   
They'll need you."  
  
"I know, Uncle Luke. I felt it also."  
------------  
  
Deep within the confines of his hideaway, the former Imperial Guard   
sits down on his bed and sighs. "This is going to be difficult... Why did   
I have to get into this?" he thinks to himself.  
  
Just then he hears someone by the door. "Come in."  
  
Mara opens the door and leans by the doorway. "Sorry we had to get you   
into this mess. You were the only one we could turn to."  
  
"Not exactly, Mara. You knew about the Emperor's guards too." Kanos   
stops, realizing that Mara was once 5 months pregnant. "You have tons of   
Jedi crawling around you and yet your husband, who could be one of the   
most powerful people in the galaxy, does this!"  
  
"I cannot make excuses for my husband. I know his methods are not what   
you wish, but you have to understand that the Jedi are also the   
protectors of the entire galaxy. What would happen if we took that away?"  
  
"You know that this isn't going to be easy."  
  
"I know, but this time, we're the hunters."  
  
The ship comes out of hyperspace. Before them is the planet   
Coruscant...   
-----------  
  
On Yavin a storm raged into the late night. Luke tossed and turned in   
his sleep trying to make sense of the images in his head. And what was   
happening to him.  
  
A fight, an imperial guardsman, a darkhallway, Yoda, Mara's tears, the   
bacta tank, a yellow gold lightsaber and miscarrige? Could it be true?!   
Why didn't Mara say anything.  
  
Lightning flashed filling the room with light. It was then Skywalker   
realized he was not alone. He turned his head nad in the doorway stood   
the guardsman.  
  
---------------  
Mara dug up all she could and found nothing in the computer records.   
Kir had also come up empty handed. It was late. Very late.  
  
"I suggest we rest and try more tomorrow, Mara."  
  
Mara yawned. "Jacen and Jaina will arrive tomorrow to help us. As far   
as I can tell we have no more leads. Palpy kept no records on Force   
strong guardsmen, not any we can access anyway."  
  
Kir stood and stretched. When he looked back at Mara something was   
wrong. Tears were running down her face.  
  
Mara had a sudden vision of what was to come on Yavin. The image was   
unthinkable and unsettling...   
---------------  
  
The storm continued to howl in the background as the battled raged on.   
Luke had drawn his lightsaber from the floor just in time to block the   
guardsman's blow. The fight continued on the balcony, with the rain   
pouring down. Luke withdrew his lightsaber and hooked it onto his belt. He   
wasn't going to let it short circuit. The guardsman turned off his too   
and out of nowhere drew out his pike.  
  
"So I see that you've been here all along. Why do you continue to hold   
onto the ways of the Empire? The Republic has a place for you here."  
  
The guardsman stood motionless. "I have a duty. This is it. Once it is   
over, so is my life. There is nothing left for me after that."  
  
"But why must you seek to destroy me?"  
  
The attacker did not reply. He started to run toward him. Luke drew   
further back, toward the end of the balcony. "Here we go..." He   
backflipped off the balcony.  
--------------------  
  
Kir had left Mara in her room. Actually, he locked her in it. That   
wouldn't stop her, he knew, but he would have enough time to get the things   
he needed before she bursted off to go save Luke.  
  
The former Royal Guard called for a taxi. The vehicle hovered to a stop   
and he got in. "Vader's Palace."  
----------------  
  
Luke fell pretty far down, but he calmed himself and had grabbed hold   
of a branch before smacking onto the ground below.  
  
His body had not fully recovered from the bacta tank, but it was mostly   
just stiffness. With the current weather conditions, that didn't help.   
He was soaked to the bone.  
  
Luke wasn't about to get the other Jedi involved because he knew this   
was his battle. This was what the visions had be telling him. That was   
why he told Mara to leave. That's why he sent his nephew and neice to   
Coruscant. He couldn't lose those he loved most.  
  
Luke had reached the Gaunadi caves. He would now wait for his attacker.   
For now, he would meditate.  
-------------------  
  
Mara scolded at herself. "Why did I give Kir my lightsaber?" She looked   
around the room. He must have known about this and prepared. Luke. Kir   
had been talking to Luke. ARG! Luke set her up!  
  
Mara got a hold of herself. She almost chuckled. "I've got quite a   
husband."  
  
But when she thought of that vision she couldn't wait around anymore.   
The image of Luke lying on his back in the rain, bleeding and killed   
mercilessly was still fresh in her mind. She had to go to him.  
  
Mara opened the window and stepped out onto the balcony. "Kir forgot   
the windows."  
-----------  
  
"I know your in here, Skywalker!"  
  
The guardsman entered the cave to finds Luke meditating. The perfect   
time to strike. Luke blocked the blow just in time, again. The fought   
harder then last time and took a blow to the shoulder. He stumbled out of   
the cave, still feeling weak from his injury.  
  
Then something hit his head. Blood ran down the left side of his face.   
Luke collapsed onto the ground breathing heavily. He knew that his time   
in this life was almost up.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Since your going to die anyway it doesn't matter if you see my face!"  
  
The guardsman took off his helmet. "Take a good look at me Skywalker,   
I'm the last thing you'll see."  
--------------  
  
"Kir Kanos!"  
  
Kir turned at the entrance to Vader's Palace. He saw the Solo twins   
running toward him. He sighed, now he had some help.  
  
"How'd you two find me?"  
  
"I told them."  
  
He looked past Jacen and Jaina to see Mara also running toward him. She   
looked horrible. She ran straight to him and stood there.   
  
"We need to leave now, Luke will die if we don't."  
  
"I'm under orders by Luke to keep you three here no matter what. He   
said this is his fight and if he must die, then thats the way it needs to   
be. He was determind to keep you three safe."  
  
Mara's eyes burned with fury at what Kanos had just said. The look   
scared Kanos, he didn't want to be in Mara's wake.  
  
"The answers we seek are in there."  
  
Kir Kanos led the group of Jedi into Vader's Palace. Enormous in size   
and complex in design, a person could get lost for days and starve to   
death in it. Or so the legends go... Kanos apparently had time to scout   
the area before meeting the group, for he knew exactly where to go.  
  
"So did he tell you what you were to get?" Jiana asked.  
  
"Yes and no," Kanos answered.  
  
"That's comforting to know," sarcasically replied Jacen.  
  
Kanos turned around at the small group. His tone turned dark. "Do not   
question me."  
  
Jacen took that into offense, but Mara extended her arm to hold back   
her nephew. "Let's just go, okay?"  
  
After what seemed to be forever, Kanos stopped. The others stopped   
also, staring at what Kanos was staring at. Up high on the left column was   
a forcepike. Kanos suddenly leaped into the air, placed his left foot   
onto the wall, and grabbed the pike. There he lifted himself and seemed   
to disappear into the shadows.  
  
Mara squinted at the area. There seemed to be a hole, masked by dark   
shadows. Whoever the architect of this building was, he did one fine job.  
  
Kanos' voice called down to the party. "Hurry up! We don't have all   
day."  
  
Jiana and Jacen each jumped into the air and into the hole above. Mara   
muttered, "And Luke doesn't either." She lept into the hole.  
----------------  
  
The group crawled through this small tunnel for another long expanse of   
time. The group did not have much for conversation while in Vader's   
Palace. Perhaps it was the incident before. Perhaps it was just the idea   
of being in the former Sith's sanctuary.  
  
The tunnel ended, leading to a fair size room. On the far side of the   
room was a pod. It looked to be open. Jacen ignited his lightsaber.  
  
"Don't bother, there's no one here," Kanos said bluntly.  
  
Kanos grabbed Mara by the hand and took her to the pod. "It's been   
recently openned. It looks to have been set to open when a series of events   
took place."  
  
He lead her to a side wall, where a computer panel blinked. Kanos slipt   
a disk into a slot. "One was the betrayal of the Emperor's Hand."  
  
Mara was startled. "What does it mean? So are you saying that the   
mysterious figure is connected to me? Is it a clone?"  
  
"No." Kanos pressed a few buttons. "Wish I had a protocol droid right   
about now. This might take a while."  
  
Mara went over to the pod, where the other 2 Jedi were looking inside.  
  
"Take a look," Kanos said, and started walking out of the room.  
  
The group of 3 went over to the holoscreen. Spinning in 360 turns was a   
young man. Mara gasped. It was Darth Vader!   
  
"So your saying our attacker is Vader?" Mara asked confused looking   
back at Kir.  
  
"It would appear so, but it could be someone sent by him." he answered.   
"I think Vader knew you'd betray Palpatine."  
  
Mara forced a half smile. But it faded quickly as the image appeared in   
her head again. She tired to shake it to but to no avail. When pain her   
she screamed and collapsed to the floor.  
  
"Mara, are you alright?" Kir asked bending down at her side.  
  
She raised her head and her eyes flooded with tears. Jacen and Jaina   
also looked shaken. She stood shrugging Kir off.  
  
"We need to get to Luke!" she said, clenching her fists.  
  
"Alright, let's go!" Kir sighed and he followed Mara out the door.  
-----------  
  
Kir sat in the pilot seat ready yo make the jump to hyperspace. He   
didn't know what Mara had felt or saw but all he knew was it was bad. He   
turned when she appeared behind him.  
  
"He's dying," Mara cried. "I told you we should have gone, I told you!"  
  
"I was following his orders Mara, I'm sorry." Kir answered coldly.  
  
Mara ignored him and shut her mouth because before them was the fourth   
moon of Yavin.  
-----------  
  
Mara Jade Skywalker sprinted to the Gaundi caves like she'd never   
sprinted before. She needed to get to her husband and make sure he was okay.   
Although she knew he was dying because is presence was fading in and   
out of the Force. She needed to get to him. Mara didn't even know it   
Kanos and the twins were behind her, but she didn't have tome to worry   
about it now.  
  
She came up on the caves struggling against fatigue. There she saw it,   
what she had seen in her vision. Luke lay on his back soaking, blood   
running down his face. Though his shirt was undamaged, it was soaked with   
blood. A forcepike laid on the body's side.  
  
She bent down next to him. She picked up his head and layed it in her   
lap. She was losing him. "Luke," she cried. "Luke!"   
  
Mara bent down and held him in her arms, weeping. But as she brushed   
aside the blood on his face, she realized that this wasn't Luke. It was a   
young Darth Vader.  
  
Kir walked over to the dead body and picked at the clothing. "But why   
the clothes change?"  
  
"In honor of my father, who was and is a Jedi." Luke laid in the dark   
shadows, leaning on the cavern wall, bleeding in several areas. His   
nephew and neice grabbed hold of Luke and hugged him. Mara dropped the body   
and rushed toward her husband. "But how? I thought you were dead?"  
  
Luke smiled, hugging his wife. "Well, it all began with my visions.   
Yoda and Ben came to me, warning me about the past. So I had R2 dig for   
some information about the Jedi history. Through that, I learned a form   
of meditation. The reason why you saw me dead was the same reason why   
you couldn't sense the Force before. My father, or his clone, clouded   
your mind and even distorted it. That's why I had to get Kir to get you   
and the kids away. He wasn't after the other Jedi, just those tied to me   
by blood starting with me, but that's a far more complex story which   
I'll tell later. Kir was a believable distraction to get you to leave."  
  
Mara turned to her companion. Kir smiled.  
  
"When my father came to kill me, he was using his power to try to cloud   
my Force sensitivity, but I knew about the meditation and as he was   
about to strike, I was able to use the Force to push him to a wall." Luke   
looked remorseful. "It was unintentional that the forcepike was driven   
through the chest within the inpact on the cave wall." Luke looked at   
Kanos. "Did you get what I requested?"  
  
Kanos grabbed a disc from his belt and handed it to Luke. "This was all   
the information I could get before the computer became corrupt. Hope   
this tells you more about the clone wars."  
  
Jacen's eyes grew wide. "The clone wars?"  
  
Luke tried to smile. "Come and help your uncle back to the temple and   
I'll tell you about my theory of the clone wars..."  
  
The End  



End file.
